Once upon a time...

Once upon a time…there lived a beautiful black Pomeranian named Pepper.

Unhappy she was, for her life consisted of no kindness or love from a human. She was left in the cold Colorado temperatures all year long to make babies and then have them taken away from her.  She was barely fed and her medical care was nonexistent.  The wicked woman who made her have so many babies lived in a warm house with lots of food. She would come out and Pepper would hide in fear of her ugly hand.

One beautiful day, after six long years, the wicked woman’s breeding mill was shut down by the department of agriculture. From this day forward Pepper’s beautiful life would begin.  National Mill Dog Rescue was her saving grace.

Initially, Pepper’s whole body would freeze when approached by people, since she only knew cruelty.  She suffered from extreme seizures due to lack of proper care.  She would spin and run in circles from lack of room to exercise. After three years of love, vet care, and lots of treats she is one happy dog. She is the first one to welcome a new foster dog to the pack.  She is the first one to run to the car for a ride.  She is the first one to run to doggie daycare. She is the first one to run to the top of mountains of Vail.  She is the first one to go for a bike ride in her basket. She is the first one to get a treat.  And by all means she is the very first one to give you a kiss and say thank you for saving me!

For now there lives a beautiful black Pomeranian named Pepper who will forever live happily ever after! 

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A note from the author - 

Pepper is still my foster after almost 3 years.  I plan to keep her since she has seizures if with other people.  I tried to adopt her out 3 times and she seized with all of them (pretty scary) so I'll just keep her.  I had written this story about Pepper a couple of months ago for a contest.  I LOVE this gal so much!!  She loves Farside and Josie -they all sleep together.  They are my 3 amigos from NMDR.  I thought the photo of her tongue sticking out was in tribute to all puppy mill owners!

 - Holly

Kansas family needed to help Ginger

UPDATE 3/1:  A home has been found for Ginger.  Thank you!
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Hello!  National Mill Dog Rescue will always try to help our veterinarian friends when they have a dog in need. When our social media followers work to spread the word, it's amazing what we all can accomplish.  This senior little dog is in Colby, KS and needs a special family with a big heart, and we need your help to find her one.

Ginger

Ginger is a 12 year old Lhasa Apso miz.  Her owner recently had a heart attack and is now in an assisted living facility.  Unfortunately, Ginger can't live there too.  :-(


Ginger's owner is currently boarding her at Swartz Veterinary Hospital in Colby, KS and she has been there for over 2 months.  Both time and money are running out.  The vet and owners are asking rescue groups to spread the word to help find her a family she can spend her senior years with.

Ginger is a sweet dog and would make a great addition to a family looking for an older, low-energy, dog.  She doesn't need a lot of room to roam or a big place, just a quiet home with love.  The downside is that, with her age, Ginger has become a special needs dog.  He has diabetes, mild allergies, and is mostly blind.  She needs medication, insulin shots, and medication daily.  Aside from needing a little extra care, Ginger's medications are not expensive.  Her owners and the vet clinic are also willing to work with a potential adopter to help with Ginger's initial medication needs and vet costs.  What's most important is that Ginger find a home.  She's confused, has no idea what she did wrong, and really just needs to be with a family.

Thank you for spreading the word and trying to help Ginger find a caring family in which to spend her senior years.  Her owners are struggling with the thoughts of putting her down and no one's positive that it's even close to Ginger's time to go.  It would be a shame to put her down without trying every avenue possible.


If you're interested in helping Ginger and are in the Colby, KS area, please call Angie at  Swartz Veterinary Hospital (785-460-1078).  Feel free to ask her questions and come by to meet Ginger.  You won't regret it.  Helping dogs, all dogs, no matter how old or needy, is there right thing to do and no matter what, is always rewarding.


Thank you in advance for trying to help Ginger.

From crippled to healthy and active... sharing a happy letter.

National Mill Dog Rescue wanted to share a short letter from a recent adopter....

I adopted Ginger as a “special needs” puppy in late July 2011.  She is a Cocker / Cavalier King Charles spaniel mix and had been rescued from a puppy mill as breeder surrender due to luxating patellas in both knees.   Ginger had been with her foster parents for five weeks and the potential adopters were limited due to the fact that her knee problems would require surgery.

I took Ginger to a wonderful surgeon at VRCC in Englewood, CO—Dr. Brian VanVechten.  He had repaired the knees of my other dog so I trusted him to repair Ginger’s knees.  On December 16, 2011, Ginger was 8 months old and got her surgery.  She came home with casts on both legs and figured them out fairly quickly.  She had the casts on for 2 weeks, with limited walking, no running, no stairs and no jumping for 8 weeks, in total.

The time flew by and today she is healthy and as active as ever.   We’ve resumed training at Petco and we plan to be certified as a Canine Good Citizen by this summer.  She loves everyone and runs like the wind—always with a mischievous twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face. 

Thank you to NMDR for the work you do and especially for saving Ginger from the puppy mill life.  She is a treasured pup for me.

 - Sheri and Ginger

Maddie died yesterday.

This post is a tribute to those of you who willingly step up to accept the challenge, joy, and heartache that comes with adopting senior or terminally ill dogs.

National Mill Dog Rescue wanted to let you know that Maddie died yesterday. She made her trip over the rainbow bridge, comfortably nestled in the loving arms of her adoptive mom.

Maddie... a terminally ill Cocker Spaniel who extended her days just for love.

Maddie was a senior Cocker Spaniel girl who arrived with an inoperable tumor and cancer so advanced that the veterinary team gave her roughly 3 to 6 months left of life.  Because we wanted her to experience life in a family and as a loved dog, a home was immediately sought for her.  The Campbell family welcomed Maddie with open arms.  Whether she lived for another day or hundreds of days, she was going to live them with peace, love and as a part of their home.

This just goes to show what a loving home can do for a dog.  Maddie not only lived for 6 months, she lived for 2 full years.  She was SO happy.  Everyone who came to Maddie's house absolutely adored her.  She was a companion to her people and a true friend to her canine siblings.


"We are so grateful to have Maddie as a part of our life and for allowing us to try to make up for her past sad years at a puppy mill.  She brought so much joy and pleasure, and was indeed one of God's most special little creatures.  We were blessed to have her with us a year plus more than anticipated."

Today, NMDR extends its gratitude and condolences to the Campbell family.  Hopefully your grief only visits you with the contented peace in knowing you gave an beautiful dog a truly wonderful life.  She will remember you, and only love, not the cold wires and neglect of her past.

Thank you to all the families who open their hearts and homes to senior dogs and those with severe health issues.  They deserve their chance at happiness too, and giving it to them is truly hero's work.

Rest in peace sweet Maddie.

A special-needs Pekingese needs a soft place to land

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UPDATE (2/21, 2:30pm MST) - A home as been found for Yamaha.  Thank you!!!
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A veterinary friend in Arkansas asked for our help.  She has saved so many dogs and helped National Mill Dog Rescue in countless situations, we pretty much said "yes" before even hearing her request.  Now the dog is on its way from Arkansas this morning and we need your help.  Please share this post with anyone in Colorado who may be this sweet Peke's soft place to fall upon arrival in Denver.

Yamaha is a 7-8 year old Pekingese boy who was found roaming the Arkansas streets.  With his tiny size, it's incredible he wasn't run over.  A kind vet clinic/shelter took him in, but no owner ever claimed him.  However, Yamaha is a special-needs dogs and without a rescue organization that can manage his medical issues, Yamaha was at a high risk of being euthanized.  So, he's on his way to CO to be cared for by NMDR and hopefully a loving family in the Denver area.

The bad news....
Yamaha is vision impaired and as severely deformed hind legs which cause him to waddle, rather than walk normally.

The good news....
Yamaha is an awesome dog.  He would love nothing more than to have a comfortable place to lay down and have a loving hand feed him treats.  It also appears that Yamaha has been in a home before.  He is housetrained and it's apparent that someone loved this little boy at some point.

Transport has already been arranged and Yamaha is coming straight into Denver tomorrow evening.  We would love nothing more than to have this dog go straight into the home of a family (preferably one who intends to adopt him) and never set foot in the kennel.  He doesn't belong there.  It is important to understand that Yamaha has medical issues and will need veterinary care, and possibly surgery.  He is now under the NMDR umbrella and we will cover the costs for this little man's medical care.  If you adopt Yamaha, you will be part of the NMDR family and not be abandoned to care for a special-needs dog alone.  We'll be right there with you.  It is also important to note that, since we've never met Yamaha or had him assessed by one of our vets, he needs to be adopted into the CO area.

If you've read this post and would like to help Yamaha, please try to do one of the following things today:

1)  Share this post with anyone you know in the Denver/CO Springs area that would like to adopt a sweet, senior, special-needs Pekingese boy.  We never say never, and the right family is out there for him somewhere.

2)  If you're in the Denver/CO Springs area and would like to adopt Yamaha, please send an email to us today.  It's possible that Yamaha can live in an apartment, but will need to be carried if you have steps or stairs.  It is also entirely possible that, later in his life, he could be a candidate for a doggie wheelchair.

3)  If you can't adopt Yamaha yourself and would still like to help him, please consider donating a dollar or two for his pending vet care.  There's no question that this little guy is going to need some continued care, and possibly surgery, in order to continue to walk.  NMDR is a nonprofit organization, operating on a shoestring budget, so your donations are always appreciated and needed.  http://milldogrescue.org/Donate.html

Thank you in advance for spreading the word and helping us try to find a home for this dog today.

- With love from Yamaha and National Mill Dog Rescue

Big dogs. Beautiful faces. Loving hearts.

We just had to share the news that there are so many great, big, dogs at the kennel right now.  National Mill Dog Rescue is used to having a full facility, but when we do, the first dogs our hearts ache for are the big dogs.  There are quite a few Labs, German Shepherds and Great Pyrenees at the kennel right now and as much as we love seeing their smiling faces when we come to volunteer, they really need homes, yards, and room to roam.

Know any big dog lovers?  Please spread the word that NMDR has quite a few adoptable large breeds who would make great companions.  Here are just a few who are ready to go!

Ginger is a 3 year old Lab mix who loves all people, dogs and even cats.
She's so ready to find her forever home.

Hunter (left) and Brandy (right).  These two are GSD/Malinois mixes who would
love nothing more than to have their own yard and other big dogs to play with.

Smokey is a 6 month old St. Bernard/Great Pyrenees mix who just arrived.
He's already 105 lbs and still growing.  This playful boy would love to have a big home,
large yard, and an active owner.  He's got a brother too, if you have room for more!

Shawna is a beautiful 2 year old Great Pyrenees girl who's just a love bug.
Titan is a big Lab.  He's already 94 lbs at just 1 year old.  He's a big, strong dog and
would love to have someone to show him love, discipline, exercise and kindness.

Spirit is a 9 year old German Shepherd girl who's
never had a home of her own.  She loves people
and gets along great with other dogs.  She can't
wait to begin her life as loved family member.

If you're interested in adopting one of these lovable big guys, you can find out more about them from their bios on NMDR's available dogs page.  Information on how to adopt can be found here.

Thank you in advance for helping our big dogs find forever homes!

A tribute to Copper

Today, all of us at National Mill Dog Rescue wanted to pay tribute to a very special little Miniature Pinscher who made his journey over the rainbow bridge yesterday.

Copper got his name at a dog auction.  He was purchased for a penny.

Copper's story was followed since his rescue in 2009.  NMDR purchased the 8 year old Min Pin during the closing minutes of a Missouri dog auction.  No one wanted him.  He spent his entire life as a breeding dog and was "used up" and no longer of any worth to the commercial breeding industry.  Theresa found room in the rescue van and purchased copper for one cent.  Hence the name, Copper.

Copper underwent extensive surgery and vet care.  He also was the focus of an incredible documentary titled, "I Breathe."  The most infuriating part of Copper's story is that his previous owner is Barb York, the president of the Missouri Pet Breeders Association.  An excerpt taken from the documentary about Copper is below.
(Warning - although the video below does not contain any disturbing images, if you're squeamish, you'll want to skip 1:20 - 1:45 as Copper is in the vet room getting stitches)

After his surgery, Copper was adopted by a wonderful family - the Buckleys.  He was a cherished and truly loved family member.  An email from the Buckley family....

We just wanted to let you all know that Copper the penny dog passed this morning.  From the time he came to our home, we knew his kidneys were failing.  He did great on prescription food but he had been in ill health probably for many years prior and couldn't fight it anymore.  We knew the end was close (only over the last few days), but didn't want to acknowledge it.  Yesterday evening he took a major down turn.  I slept with him on the couch waiting to go to our vet this morning.  At 2:30 he woke me up and I thought he had to go to the bathroom.  He just laid down on our deck.  We went back to the couch and sometime between when I fell back to sleep and 4:45 am he jumped down from the couch and went under our X-mas tree (yes it's still up) and passed there.  He looked so peaceful when we saw him.  You'd never have known his past.  


Thank you for rescuing Copper and allowing the blessing of his company over the past 2 + years.  He was in inspiration to many.  Though we are feeling the pain now, we are glad to have had the opportunity to give and most receive love from an older dog that was thought to be disposable.

Bonnie Buckley and the Buckley family

Copper and his family at Christmas

An update on Hambone from her family

In August 2011, Hambone was rescued by NMDR.  She was in terrible shape and couldn't stand up.  After months of being nursed back to health and the kindness of a caring foster home, Hambone was adopted.  Her family loves her dearly and sent in a letter and photos with an update on little "Hammie."
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I just can't tell you all how much we LOVE this little girl!

Hambone (front) and her big sister, Fergie

We have two other Corgis, Fergie and Simon, and we were really affected by the posted story of Lyric and Hambone... especially watching Hambone literally fall over when Chuck put her on the floor.  I just couldn't get that video out of my mind.  


Video of Hambone at the vet on the day she was rescued.....

We saw that Lyric had been adopted and decided that we just had to take a chance with Hambone. The only reservation we had was whether or not she and Fergie could get along because sometimes two female corgis are not good together.  Somehow, I think Fergie and Simon sensed that Hammie was a special little one.  They immediately accepted her into the pack and have never gotten into a scuffle over anything. 

Photo of Hambone on the day she got her name.  In the vet waiting room, sitting
in Chuck's lap - being a ham.  Lyric rests in the background after her blood transfusion.

We decided to keep Hambone's name the same because honestly it just fits her perfectly.  She is such a ham!  She also often gets adoringly referred to as "Hammie" and "Hammalicious."  She has gained almost three pounds since she came to us and is a great eater.  She follows Fergie and Simon everywhere and is learning from them every day.  Oh and not only is Hammie walking just fine and she can even RUN now!  She isn't as fast as the other two but she sure tries to keep up with them.

Hammie loves to lay by the fire in Jim's office at home.  She is the most determined little girl and she is actually starting to tackle the steps.  We allow her to try stairs on her own time, so she gets picked up a lot.  


We really try to make every day special for her and she has brought so much love and happiness to our home.  We can't imagine life without her now.  Hammie is a very happy girl and so are we.  Thank you to Theresa and Chuck for rescuing Lyric and Hammie and all the other dogs, and a big thank you to all of NMDR.  Lastly, our thanks go out to the followers and friends who extended prayers for both Hambone and Lyric.  They are both very happy and safe now. 


Love,
Sharon, Jim, Hammie and family

Huge thanks to our rescue friends in AZ and NY!

When we all work together, we can save a lot of  dogs.  That goes for rescue organizations too.  National Mill Dog Rescue wants to thank North Shore Animal League in NY for continuing to partner with us in saving dogs.  60 are on their way to you this weekend and we thank you for making space and ensuring each of them find wonderful homes.

In other partnerships, 20 dogs departed from NMDR's kennel yesterday morning - all headed to Phoenix.  Why would we do that?  Well, we asked for help, and fortunately, several rescue partners came through.  Countless dogs on an Iowa property are currently in desperate need.  However, the kennel is completely full.  Rather than give up, Theresa got on the phone and immediately started making calls to contacts who could help.

Mikki, Beethoven, Bogart, and Susie Q are all headed to AZ to find warm-weather homes!

Cast Off Cockers, Benji's Buddies, and Happy Tails in Arizona all stepped up to take a few dogs each from NMDR's kennel and help them find good homes.

National Mill Dog Rescue is proud to be associated with the above organizations.  By working together, approximately 120 dogs will be moved across the country and rescued from different states this week.  Thank you for helping these little dogs find forever homes and for allowing us be able to save more.

A post from me about a dog named Miley.

Hello.  My name is Aleta and I'm a volunteer for National Mill Dog Rescue.  I have written a lot of posts for NMDR, but this one's got me stumped.  So, I will step out of the role of NMDR's occasional online voice and write this one solely as my own.

I received a message yesterday from one of our devoted foster families.  It hit me hard.  When something happens to any of the dogs or volunteers, it happens to all of us.  National Mill Dog Rescue, all dogs and people, are a family.

Miley

Kelly, one of the most caring foster mommies a dog could ever ask for, was charged by an aggressive American Bulldog yesterday.  Kelly was out walking her two Chihuahuas - Greta and her foster dog, Miley.  As Kelly's heart leaped into her throat, in an instant, she discovered it was not her suffering the attack, it was little Miley.  Before I scare the heck out of you, please know that Miley is alive and will most likely make a full recovery (at least physically).

The American Bulldog came off its property.  It was unleashed and unfenced.  There is no question that Kelly is traumatized and will be haunted for a while.  Unfortunately, she will carry the brunt of the gory details alone, as I will spare you from them here.  The end result was that Miley was slashed - from one shoulder, all the way to the other.  Kelly believes that Miley’s harness saved her throat and her life.  The bite marks in the photo of her harness are too numerous to count.

Miley's harness - a lifesaver

How on earth Kelly pulled it together to get Miley to the emergency vet is beyond me.  But she did it.  Kelly, and the team at the closest veterinary hospital she could find, saved Miley's life.  This is a photo of Miley yesterday afternoon....

I'm not going to end this post with any words of wisdom, as I don't have any.  I am shocked.  I am baffled.  And, personally, I am a little disheartened with karma at this moment.  Something's just not right when a sweet little soul like Miley survives 6 years in a puppy mill and fate deals her a hand like this. Yesterday was supposed to be a non-event of a selfless foster mommy simply taking her dogs outside for some exercise.

I have donated my time and I have poured NMDR's heart into over 300 posts here throughout the years.  I'm going to ask for your help now.  I would never ask except I have already done both myself:

1)  Post a comment after this blog post or on the facebook thread supporting Kelly and Miley and offering encouragement and well wishes to her and her family (she is an avid reader of our social media channels).
2) Donate a few dollars to Miley's care if it's at all possible for you.  I did. Miley's emergency vet bill was over $1,300.  Kelly feels terrible about NMDR having to cover the cost and also donated a chunk of change herself.   Her doing that makes me feel awful.  Please help just get this vet bill covered today so the cost issue quickly becomes a non-issue.  Having Kelly even think about that absolutely kills me.

Thank you for reading this post, donating a little to Miley and for supporting NMDR no matter what hand fate deals our little dogs.  I don't understand why this happened.  All I know is that it's truly is incredible that Miley survived and there has to be a reason.

Thank you.

Please donate to help fund Miley's vet care.